What is a Proxy server ?

• A Proxy server is a server application that acts as an intermediary between a client requesting a resource and a server providing that resource.

• Requests sent by clients are sent to the proxy server rather than the response server.

• It evaluates the request and performs the required network transactions

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Types

1) Forward Proxy

• Whenever user request something to the internet, it does not directly go to the internet.

• The forward proxy acts on behalf of user, forwarding request from user to internet.

Use case:-

• Used in corporate or schools to control internet access for users.

Examples:-

1. Squid

2. Apache HTTP Server

3. Forefront Threat Management Gateway

4. Privoxy

5. TinyProxy

6. CCProxy

7. WinGate Proxy Server

8. Dante

9. Polipo

10. Shadowsocks

2) Reverse Proxy

• It sits in front of server and receives request on their behalf.

• It then forwards this requests to server and returns the server response to user.

Use case :-

• Enhance security by shielding servers from direct internet exposure.

• Enable load balancing across multiple servers.

Example:-

1. Nginx

2. HAProxy

3. Apache HTTP Server (with mod_proxy module)

4. Envoy Proxy

5. Traefik

6. Caddy

7. Pound

8. Varnish Cache

9. AWS Application Load Balancer (ALB)

10. Microsoft Application Request Routing (ARR)

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Future Trends in Proxy technology

1. Containerized Proxy

   Enable organizations to deploy proxy instances quickly, scale them dynamically based on demand, and streamline management through container orchestration platforms.

2. Cloud-based Proxy services

   Eliminate the need for organizations to maintain and manage their proxy infrastructure, providing benefits such as elasticity, cost-effectiveness, and global scalability.

3. Integration with AI and ML

   By analyzing network traffic in real-time, AI-powered proxies can identify and block suspicious activities.